Its color is like fire
by hioebis
Summary: after the last fight with schwarz, weiß begins a new life. however, ran starts having strange dreams... pairings: not telling. nc-17 coming warning: ooc please review! *bows*
1. dream of an orchid

Its color is like fire  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own Weiß Kreuz, nor do I own any of the characters of the manga or the anime, some of those characters below are original, though. I do this without permission from author and not to make profit. Don't sue me, I am too poor to be sued. ^^°°°°  
  
Warnings: None yet (with stress on the yet) but who knows if none is coming... *g* However, I am relatively new in Weiss fandom and this is my very first Weiß Kreuz fic. So please please please be patient with me if there are any mistakes (grammar, spelling, storyline.) There are spoilers all over, but don't know from where to where or in which takuban etc. I suggest you don't read the fic if you don't know anything about Weiss. And if you cannot stand male-male relationships btw. have homophobia (what is that anyway -_-;;). Thanks.  
  
Still there? Wow! Then on to the story! ^^°°  
  
*** /Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep I need sleeeeeepppp!!!!/, thought Aya, or better, Ran, wearily and so tired that in a small corner of his consciousness, he wondered just how he managed to stand at all as he closed the door of the Koneko behind him. One could think that life would become easier once Takatori was dead, his sister awake, and Schwarz gotten rid of, not more tiresome. But no, now that all hinders were gone, Kritiker, never ceasing to surprise them with their incredible timing, seemed to consider it the chance for dumping their surplus load of work on them, Weiß. And it was a mountain of work that surely not only in Ran's opinion proved bone crashing and trebled the former.  
  
Now they were on mission every night, sometimes even on several missions at once - as if they were all supermen or could split themselves in halves to accomplish the tasks. He couldn't seem to remember how long ago the last time was when they had gotten a good night's sleep or even rested long enough for it to have actually helped - too long, that they all knew for sure. The whole thing was exhausting and it did... things to them - Kenken started to put work before soccer; Yo-tan's night activities with females had decreased drastically; Omi was so busy hacking and searching for information he didn't have time for anything else anyway anymore and he... /Yes, me./, Ran thought, an unconscious smile tugging lightly at his rose- petal soft lips while he near stumbled his way to his apartment, /I have also changed.../  
  
He had come back to life again, incredible though it might seem even to himself - he had started slowly, slowly learning how to laugh again, to be with others, to enjoy life as well as he could and to loosen up. Him! To do that! Maybe it was even a good thing they had so much to do, he thought almost feeling guilty - normally they would all spend their spare time somewhere for themselves but now, when they scarcely had any of it, they were forced to stay together and, to learn to love each other - how amazing had it been for Ran when he saw all the things Aya had missed in his miserable isolation! /Maybe/, he thought, /when there's more time again, we could even try and be *normal* again... normal... friends.../  
  
The fact that they all strictly refused to give up the flower shop though the money they now earned had reached a level at which it proved for them more than sufficiently and it had become completely unnecessary was only one of the many proofs for this new kind of comradeship. 'For security', they said, when Manx wondered why they continued to carry this unnecessary burden, 'and as the perfect cover.' 'Moreover, our fan girls would surely be sad if we just disappeared! ', Youji even added. He had burst into snickers then, turning a bright crimson at the funny looks the others gave him, after all, the frozen leader never *laughed* . Manx had smiled knowingly then and been content with the answers.  
  
Tired amethyst eyes turned towards his watch and he couldn't hold back a heavy sigh, seeing he had only about 4 hours left to rest his strained body and mind before he would have to open the flowerschop. /Poor me/, Ran thought, /fist shift after a whole night out, with Youji the lazyass, no less!/ However, he knew that if he and Youji didn't open the shop, it would be left for Ken and little Omi to do, and with them being younger, he simply refused to think of letting them work more than he did - after all, he argued with himself, they needed more sleep than he and it wouldn't do any good to have them sleepwalking the shop.  
  
Sighing in relief as if he had just managed an unconquerable task as he finally reached his room, he didn't even bother to take off his clothes before literally letting himself drop on the bed like a stone, falling sound asleep immediately.  
  
***  
  
'Iiiiiiyyyyyaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!' Rosette cried in joyful excitement, laughing loudly as she raced on her favorite horse through the seemingly endless wide land of her father's. She was giggling unbrokenly through the ride; her thick, messed up mass of ruby-red hair blowing about behind her, reflecting and breaking the dazzlingly bright sunlight that day with its crystalline texture; her big violet amethyst eyes widened in joy, gleaming and almost bursting with childishly pure emotion - and right in this moment all she felt was pure bliss. - How long had it been since she had last ridden a horse, last felt the cool wind go through her long hair, last smelled the fresh scent of grass and flowers and the long missed smell of the sun?! How long since she had last been allowed to wear a simple old dress and to let it fly in the rush caused by her riding - how long had it been since she'd been free the last time? Had been unbound and alone and able to live and enjoy every second of doing what she wanted to do instead of what the daughter of the richest and most famous tradesman through half Europe, short, the daughter of a man with heavy influence ought to be?!  
  
A sharp cry from above her pulled at her attentions, and she smiled - a hawk! Ever since she had been little had she loved hawks - loved and sort of envied them for their freedom, their strength and their huge, wide wings that were able to carry them forever and everywhere. Sometimes she even allowed herself the luxury of imagining being one of them, a queen of the sky, dreaming that she was the powerful, invincible bird, so strong, so beautiful and free in its everlasting solitude that followed it, covered it and protected it like the dark blue of night sky that is full of blindingly bright stars and wrapped itself like a blanket around everyone who chose it as his friend.  
  
Lost in dreams, her lids slowly fluttered half-shut as the picture of flying, flying over mountains and oceans, lakes and lands filled her mind and she opened her small pink, the loud and proud shriek of a hawk forming itself inside her throat...  
  
'ROSETTEEE!!!!' it suddenly barked out loudly of nowhere and said flower, completely caught off guard, nearly fell off her horse in shock. Struggling for balance, she managed to peak through the massed manes of the animal to whoever dared to disturb her peace, her eyes widening further in an ungood feeling as she saw who it was - her father. /Oh-oh this means nothing good.../, she thought, and as if to confirm her fears, the old man's angry face became even redder until it matched the color of her hair while he continued barking for her to stop. 'ROSETTE!! I. SAID. STOP!!!! AND. I. MEAN. IMMEDIATELY!!!' 'Y...yes father!', she called back in hasty response, clenching her teeth as she pulled with near-desperate force on the rein, and promptly landed very unsoftly on her backside with a surprised yell as her scared horse started to jump with a loud, pained neigh.  
  
'Hey!', she exclaimed accusingly at it, that, after having calmed itself, had started eating grass peacefully right beside her with its big brown eyes looking at her with a light mix of curiosity and amusement that seemed to be laughing at her. The girl snorted in utter annoyment but before she could do anything else she was interrupted by her father who had come to standing behind her. 'Now, now, if you are too stupid to get down from a horse, blame it on yourself and not on the animal, girl!', he yelled though he was much less furious now. /What a blessing that he had calmed himself down a little/, his daughter thought, slightly relieved as he, on the other side, managed to bite back an amused smile at his daughter's almost childlike behavior. Ah... could she only stay his little girl forever!  
  
The old man still remembered the day his dear wife had died giving birth to this little pink shrumpery 'thing' that had had no meaning to him then like it was yesterday. How sad and defeated had he been, even wishing that instead of this 'something' he could have his wife back again - had he only not wished to have a child so badly! Strangely, however, it had also been this 'little something' that brought back the smile on his face he thought was gone forever and gave his life a new purpose: his little daughter, his little Rose. More quickly than he had ever thought possible and without himself knowing how had he learned to love and to be proud of everything she did and every inch she grew while time passed by like a big success. How he loved it to just look at her, to see the burning scarlet hair, to contemplate the incredibly deep clear violet eyes that so resembled the ones of her dead mother and to think of her stubborn and explosive character that must always have what it wanted, never gave up before that no matter what and so often showed intelligence too high to be proper for any woman. Then he would remember how that was just like him and become even more proud of her - after all, his character had brought him his ultimate success and hers would undoubtedly do the same - just like he was proud of her learning to play the piano even as she learned at the same time, how to climb a tree. However, by now, he thought he might have made a small mistake: he allowed her to be brought up like a boy until the age of 9, due to the heavy social boundaries for women which in his opinion were much and much too heavy for his little flower to wear. /One day, one day she'll learn what is right and decent for a woman, like every woman does sometime. And up to then, there is still time.../, he had told himself. The thing was just that, to his slight annoyance and surprise, it did not happen: though she had been raised like a proper girl after that, Rosette stayed wild and unbendable like the horses she so loved to ride...  
  
Speaking of which, now he remembered his original propose again. He sighed and shook his head lightly, half in resignation, half in amusement. 'You know, Rosette' he began, coughing softly to attract attention and searching for the right words so to express the important matter. 'If I am not much mistaken, you must be 25 by now...', he looked at her questioningly and, content for having gotten a hesitant, light nod as answer, continued, '...and so, more and more, your wild boy- or even horselike behavior has become unacceptable...' 'You must be joking...!', Rosette interrupted exasperatedly, feeling insulted - however, one angry glare from her father was enough to shut her up. 'You see what I mean - this behavior, it is simply and completely impossible!', he coughed again, ' Although I had wanted to give you more time, it seems that the limit has finally been reached - because it doesn't seem as if you were thinking much about it, I have now planned to get you married.' 'What...' 'Did you think I would let you die as an old virgin?! Up until now, I have always sent away the queue of young men begging for your hand, but I'm sure that once I announced my daughter is considered of marryable age and in want of a husband, with your beauty and your wealth, you'll be able to find the best and richest man of this world lying to your feet.' Surprisingly hearing nothing like a protest form his daughter, Gabrielli continued proudly and now more softly, 'I'm glad you seem to see it my way. After 25 years of living in my household my little flower has finally become a full- grown rose and will soon become a fantastic wife. I've waited for that day so long...'  
  
  
  
  
  
Rosette, however, was not listening: She didn't stay quiet because she agreed with him - on the contrary, she was shocked. Marriage. Her father was planning to get her married. Ever since early childhood her playmates had spoken about marriage, so of course she knew what it was. However, different than the others who talked about it with sparkling eyes, the word marriage meant for her chains on her rebellious little heart, chains she had to wear forever. She had sworn to herself at an early age to never marry and she would never forget. But now... What was there left for her to do to prevent just that from happening? Unconsciously, her violet eyes narrowed to slits. Oh, no, she wasn't going to marry, never. 'No...', she whispered, making her father turn shocked and furious eyes on her, 'no, I won't marry. Not me, father...', with these words, she swirled around on her heals and headed for the villa without waiting for his angry outburst - if there was still one possible way to get her father to change his decision, it would be...  
  
***  
  
It had been 3 days now since she locked herself up inside her room, stubbornly refusing to eat, to drink or even so much as to talk to her father or the servants which begged or yelled for her to come out. 'Give in' didn't exist in her vocabulary, and she wouldn't come out until she had her will. And if she was going to be here forever and until she died of lack of food or water, then she would. 'Rosette!!!', che, there her father was again. 'Rosette, now come out! You know it is childish and stupid to act like that just because you don't want to marry - no, it's childish and stupid to not want to marry! Every decent human being has to marry sometime, especially a woman, which, if I may remind you, you are.' The man barked in vain and his patience was being used up with every second he waited for an answer that didn't come until his brows arched in preparation for the thunderstorm that was definitely coming on. ' Get out of that room, now WILL YOU??!!' his voice quickly turned from worried, to angry, to a dangerously low hiss and to a yell. Rosette only snorted in the silent protection of her room and, she didn't know if it was to show her own anger and determination or simply to annoy her father further, she picked up one of her shoes and send it flying across the room at her door which it hit with a loud 'thud'. She even considered shortly if she should cover her ears to protect them from further shouting and barking. Just, the inevitable didn't occur, instead, she heard whispers outside her door. Immediately, her ears perched up in suspicion: a servant? A guest? /Whoever it was/, she thought, /I pity him for his obliviousness or foolishness to try to talk to my father when he is infuriated - after all, there are only very, very, very few people who can control his temper: my mother whom I never knew; me, who is right now the reason why he is so mad, and.../ Just then, she was shocked out of her thoughts roughly by a loud 'CRASH!!!', as something hard and forceful was thrown or threw itself against her door from the outside and before she could react in any possible way, the old and thick wooden door was thrown out of its angle like a paper sheen with a last blow.  
  
Lifting her head that she had bend down to avoid anything that could have been flying at it including the door itself, her deep and shining violet eyes suddenly met deep green ones full of strength and intelligence. While she seemed to have lost her tongue all of a sudden, the owner of those eyes, the young man that had just broken open her door without even so much as come out of breath and was now leaning casually, too casually, like he just came from a teeparty, against her room's doorframe. 'Now, now Miss', he said friendly, almost mockingly so, as a tint of scarcely noticeable amusement sparked and lightened in his emerald eyes like sunshine falling on the dark, clear ocean water, 'what would you say to my suggestion of coming out and eating something before the lady gets in serious trouble?'  
  
'Julian...'  
  
***  
  
'Aya? Aya you inside?' 'Wh... What...? Ah, hai! I... I'm coming in a minute! Gomen nasai!', he answered, somewhat embarrassed for forgetting to set the clock as he quickly changed clothes. He was lucky Youji actually woke by himself and came to wake him, he thought with a big yawn, else he probably would have slept the whole day through. And dreamed that dream...  
  
How strange... Of course he used to dream when he slept, but never before had he had such a ... vivid, long, and comprehensive one. Almost like an... experience instead of a dream... It was almost scary... /Baka! Stop thinking like this! If the others knew they would surely laugh their asses off - it was simply my head: everyone can just work so much and if the limit is overstrained, they start spinning! Besides/, he thought, /if exhaustion always leads to a long and nice dream, I would have nothing to complain about.../  
  
'Ohayo!', he sleepily greeted Youji as he opened the door. 'Ohayo!', the brunette murmured, no more alert than he was, 'tired?' 'Mn-mn, you not?' ' But of course I am tired, you know me - I'm always tired...' 'Of course, of course, what else is to be expected from Youji the laziest man in the universe...' 'Oh be quiet, will you? You're just as tired! And now let's go before we get too late.' 'Yes, sir!' 'RAN!!'  
  
***  
  
Authors notes: ^^°°°°°°°°°°° Well, feedback, please? I never get any feedback, and that's awfully depressing despite the fact that 'we write for ourselves', as someone whose name I can't memorize had said. T.T It really doesn't last that long to post one, right? Thank you. 


	2. sun, emerald, ruby and amethyst

Its color is like fire  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own Weiß Kreuz, nor do I own any of the characters of the manga or the anime, some of those characters below are original, though. I do this without permission from author and not to make profit. Don't sue me, I am too poor to be sued. ^^°°°°  
  
Warnings: None yet (with stress on the yet) but who knows if none is coming... *g* However, I am relatively new in Weiss fandom and this is my very first Weiß Kreuz fic. So please please please be patient with me if there are any mistakes (grammar, spelling, storyline.) There are spoilers all over, but don't know from where to where or in which takuban etc. I suggest you don't read the fic if you don't know anything about Weiss. And if you cannot stand male-male relationships btw. have homophobia (what is that anyway -_-;;). Thanks.  
  
Still there? Wow! Then on to the story! ^^°°  
  
*** /Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep I need sleeeeeepppp!!!!/, thought Aya, or better, Ran, wearily and so tired that in a small corner of his consciousness, he wondered just how he managed to stand at all as he closed the door of the Koneko behind him. One could think that life would become easier once Takatori was dead, his sister awake, and Schwarz gotten rid of, not more tiresome. But no, now that all hinders were gone, Kritiker, never ceasing to surprise them with their incredible timing, seemed to consider it the chance for dumping their surplus load of work on them, Weiß. And it was a mountain of work that surely not only in Ran's opinion proved bone crashing and trebled the former.  
  
Now they were on mission every night, sometimes even on several missions at once - as if they were all supermen or could split themselves in halves to accomplish the tasks. He couldn't seem to remember how long ago the last time was when they had gotten a good night's sleep or even rested long enough for it to have actually helped - too long, that they all knew for sure. The whole thing was exhausting and it did... things to them - Kenken started to put work before soccer; Yo-tan's night activities with females had decreased drastically; Omi was so busy hacking and searching for information he didn't have time for anything else anyway anymore and he... /Yes, me./, Ran thought, an unconscious smile tugging lightly at his rose- petal soft lips while he near stumbled his way to his apartment, /I have also changed.../  
  
He had come back to life again, incredible though it might seem even to himself - he had started slowly, slowly learning how to laugh again, to be with others, to enjoy life as well as he could and to loosen up. Him! To do that! Maybe it was even a good thing they had so much to do, he thought almost feeling guilty - normally they would all spend their spare time somewhere for themselves but now, when they scarcely had any of it, they were forced to stay together and, to learn to love each other - how amazing had it been for Ran when he saw all the things Aya had missed in his miserable isolation! /Maybe/, he thought, /when there's more time again, we could even try and be *normal* again... normal... friends.../  
  
The fact that they all strictly refused to give up the flower shop though the money they now earned had reached a level at which it proved for them more than sufficiently and it had become completely unnecessary was only one of the many proofs for this new kind of comradeship. 'For security', they said, when Manx wondered why they continued to carry this unnecessary burden, 'and as the perfect cover.' 'Moreover, our fan girls would surely be sad if we just disappeared! ', Youji even added. He had burst into snickers then, turning a bright crimson at the funny looks the others gave him, after all, the frozen leader never *laughed* . Manx had smiled knowingly then and been content with the answers.  
  
Tired amethyst eyes turned towards his watch and he couldn't hold back a heavy sigh, seeing he had only about 4 hours left to rest his strained body and mind before he would have to open the flowerschop. /Poor me/, Ran thought, /fist shift after a whole night out, with Youji the lazyass, no less!/ However, he knew that if he and Youji didn't open the shop, it would be left for Ken and little Omi to do, and with them being younger, he simply refused to think of letting them work more than he did - after all, he argued with himself, they needed more sleep than he and it wouldn't do any good to have them sleepwalking the shop.  
  
Sighing in relief as if he had just managed an unconquerable task as he finally reached his room, he didn't even bother to take off his clothes before literally letting himself drop on the bed like a stone, falling sound asleep immediately.  
  
***  
  
'Iiiiiiyyyyyaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!' Rosette cried in joyful excitement, laughing loudly as she raced on her favorite horse through the seemingly endless wide land of her father's. She was giggling unbrokenly through the ride; her thick, messed up mass of ruby-red hair blowing about behind her, reflecting and breaking the dazzlingly bright sunlight that day with its crystalline texture; her big violet amethyst eyes widened in joy, gleaming and almost bursting with childishly pure emotion - and right in this moment all she felt was pure bliss. - How long had it been since she had last ridden a horse, last felt the cool wind go through her long hair, last smelled the fresh scent of grass and flowers and the long missed smell of the sun?! How long since she had last been allowed to wear a simple old dress and to let it fly in the rush caused by her riding - how long had it been since she'd been free the last time? Had been unbound and alone and able to live and enjoy every second of doing what she wanted to do instead of what the daughter of the richest and most famous tradesman through half Europe, short, the daughter of a man with heavy influence ought to be?!  
  
A sharp cry from above her pulled at her attentions, and she smiled - a hawk! Ever since she had been little had she loved hawks - loved and sort of envied them for their freedom, their strength and their huge, wide wings that were able to carry them forever and everywhere. Sometimes she even allowed herself the luxury of imagining being one of them, a queen of the sky, dreaming that she was the powerful, invincible bird, so strong, so beautiful and free in its everlasting solitude that followed it, covered it and protected it like the dark blue of night sky that is full of blindingly bright stars and wrapped itself like a blanket around everyone who chose it as his friend.  
  
Lost in dreams, her lids slowly fluttered half-shut as the picture of flying, flying over mountains and oceans, lakes and lands filled her mind and she opened her small pink, the loud and proud shriek of a hawk forming itself inside her throat...  
  
'ROSETTEEE!!!!' it suddenly barked out loudly of nowhere and said flower, completely caught off guard, nearly fell off her horse in shock. Struggling for balance, she managed to peak through the massed manes of the animal to whoever dared to disturb her peace, her eyes widening further in an ungood feeling as she saw who it was - her father. /Oh-oh this means nothing good.../, she thought, and as if to confirm her fears, the old man's angry face became even redder until it matched the color of her hair while he continued barking for her to stop. 'ROSETTE!! I. SAID. STOP!!!! AND. I. MEAN. IMMEDIATELY!!!' 'Y...yes father!', she called back in hasty response, clenching her teeth as she pulled with near-desperate force on the rein, and promptly landed very unsoftly on her backside with a surprised yell as her scared horse started to jump with a loud, pained neigh.  
  
'Hey!', she exclaimed accusingly at it, that, after having calmed itself, had started eating grass peacefully right beside her with its big brown eyes looking at her with a light mix of curiosity and amusement that seemed to be laughing at her. The girl snorted in utter annoyment but before she could do anything else she was interrupted by her father who had come to standing behind her. 'Now, now, if you are too stupid to get down from a horse, blame it on yourself and not on the animal, girl!', he yelled though he was much less furious now. /What a blessing that he had calmed himself down a little/, his daughter thought, slightly relieved as he, on the other side, managed to bite back an amused smile at his daughter's almost childlike behavior. Ah... could she only stay his little girl forever!  
  
The old man still remembered the day his dear wife had died giving birth to this little pink shrumpery 'thing' that had had no meaning to him then like it was yesterday. How sad and defeated had he been, even wishing that instead of this 'something' he could have his wife back again - had he only not wished to have a child so badly! Strangely, however, it had also been this 'little something' that brought back the smile on his face he thought was gone forever and gave his life a new purpose: his little daughter, his little Rose. More quickly than he had ever thought possible and without himself knowing how had he learned to love and to be proud of everything she did and every inch she grew while time passed by like a big success. How he loved it to just look at her, to see the burning scarlet hair, to contemplate the incredibly deep clear violet eyes that so resembled the ones of her dead mother and to think of her stubborn and explosive character that must always have what it wanted, never gave up before that no matter what and so often showed intelligence too high to be proper for any woman. Then he would remember how that was just like him and become even more proud of her - after all, his character had brought him his ultimate success and hers would undoubtedly do the same - just like he was proud of her learning to play the piano even as she learned at the same time, how to climb a tree. However, by now, he thought he might have made a small mistake: he allowed her to be brought up like a boy until the age of 9, due to the heavy social boundaries for women which in his opinion were much and much too heavy for his little flower to wear. /One day, one day she'll learn what is right and decent for a woman, like every woman does sometime. And up to then, there is still time.../, he had told himself. The thing was just that, to his slight annoyance and surprise, it did not happen: though she had been raised like a proper girl after that, Rosette stayed wild and unbendable like the horses she so loved to ride...  
  
Speaking of which, now he remembered his original propose again. He sighed and shook his head lightly, half in resignation, half in amusement. 'You know, Rosette' he began, coughing softly to attract attention and searching for the right words so to express the important matter. 'If I am not much mistaken, you must be 25 by now...', he looked at her questioningly and, content for having gotten a hesitant, light nod as answer, continued, '...and so, more and more, your wild boy- or even horselike behavior has become unacceptable...' 'You must be joking...!', Rosette interrupted exasperatedly, feeling insulted - however, one angry glare from her father was enough to shut her up. 'You see what I mean - this behavior, it is simply and completely impossible!', he coughed again, ' Although I had wanted to give you more time, it seems that the limit has finally been reached - because it doesn't seem as if you were thinking much about it, I have now planned to get you married.' 'What...' 'Did you think I would let you die as an old virgin?! Up until now, I have always sent away the queue of young men begging for your hand, but I'm sure that once I announced my daughter is considered of marryable age and in want of a husband, with your beauty and your wealth, you'll be able to find the best and richest man of this world lying to your feet.' Surprisingly hearing nothing like a protest form his daughter, Gabrielli continued proudly and now more softly, 'I'm glad you seem to see it my way. After 25 years of living in my household my little flower has finally become a full- grown rose and will soon become a fantastic wife. I've waited for that day so long...'  
  
  
  
  
  
Rosette, however, was not listening: She didn't stay quiet because she agreed with him - on the contrary, she was shocked. Marriage. Her father was planning to get her married. Ever since early childhood her playmates had spoken about marriage, so of course she knew what it was. However, different than the others who talked about it with sparkling eyes, the word marriage meant for her chains on her rebellious little heart, chains she had to wear forever. She had sworn to herself at an early age to never marry and she would never forget. But now... What was there left for her to do to prevent just that from happening? Unconsciously, her violet eyes narrowed to slits. Oh, no, she wasn't going to marry, never. 'No...', she whispered, making her father turn shocked and furious eyes on her, 'no, I won't marry. Not me, father...', with these words, she swirled around on her heals and headed for the villa without waiting for his angry outburst - if there was still one possible way to get her father to change his decision, it would be...  
  
***  
  
It had been 3 days now since she locked herself up inside her room, stubbornly refusing to eat, to drink or even so much as to talk to her father or the servants which begged or yelled for her to come out. 'Give in' didn't exist in her vocabulary, and she wouldn't come out until she had her will. And if she was going to be here forever and until she died of lack of food or water, then she would. 'Rosette!!!', che, there her father was again. 'Rosette, now come out! You know it is childish and stupid to act like that just because you don't want to marry - no, it's childish and stupid to not want to marry! Every decent human being has to marry sometime, especially a woman, which, if I may remind you, you are.' The man barked in vain and his patience was being used up with every second he waited for an answer that didn't come until his brows arched in preparation for the thunderstorm that was definitely coming on. ' Get out of that room, now WILL YOU??!!' his voice quickly turned from worried, to angry, to a dangerously low hiss and to a yell. Rosette only snorted in the silent protection of her room and, she didn't know if it was to show her own anger and determination or simply to annoy her father further, she picked up one of her shoes and send it flying across the room at her door which it hit with a loud 'thud'. She even considered shortly if she should cover her ears to protect them from further shouting and barking. Just, the inevitable didn't occur, instead, she heard whispers outside her door. Immediately, her ears perched up in suspicion: a servant? A guest? /Whoever it was/, she thought, /I pity him for his obliviousness or foolishness to try to talk to my father when he is infuriated - after all, there are only very, very, very few people who can control his temper: my mother whom I never knew; me, who is right now the reason why he is so mad, and.../ Just then, she was shocked out of her thoughts roughly by a loud 'CRASH!!!', as something hard and forceful was thrown or threw itself against her door from the outside and before she could react in any possible way, the old and thick wooden door was thrown out of its angle like a paper sheen with a last blow.  
  
Lifting her head that she had bend down to avoid anything that could have been flying at it including the door itself, her deep and shining violet eyes suddenly met deep green ones full of strength and intelligence. While she seemed to have lost her tongue all of a sudden, the owner of those eyes, the young man that had just broken open her door without even so much as come out of breath and was now leaning casually, too casually, like he just came from a teeparty, against her room's doorframe. 'Now, now Miss', he said friendly, almost mockingly so, as a tint of scarcely noticeable amusement sparked and lightened in his emerald eyes like sunshine falling on the dark, clear ocean water, 'what would you say to my suggestion of coming out and eating something before the lady gets in serious trouble?'  
  
'Julian...'  
  
***  
  
'Aya? Aya you inside?' 'Wh... What...? Ah, hai! I... I'm coming in a minute! Gomen nasai!', he answered, somewhat embarrassed for forgetting to set the clock as he quickly changed clothes. He was lucky Youji actually woke by himself and came to wake him, he thought with a big yawn, else he probably would have slept the whole day through. And dreamed that dream...  
  
How strange... Of course he used to dream when he slept, but never before had he had such a ... vivid, long, and comprehensive one. Almost like an... experience instead of a dream... It was almost scary... /Baka! Stop thinking like this! If the others knew they would surely laugh their asses off - it was simply my head: everyone can just work so much and if the limit is overstrained, they start spinning! Besides/, he thought, /if exhaustion always leads to a long and nice dream, I would have nothing to complain about.../  
  
'Ohayo!', he sleepily greeted Youji as he opened the door. 'Ohayo!', the brunette murmured, no more alert than he was, 'tired?' 'Mn-mn, you not?' ' But of course I am tired, you know me - I'm always tired...' 'Of course, of course, what else is to be expected from Youji the laziest man in the universe...' 'Oh be quiet, will you? You're just as tired! And now let's go before we get too late.' 'Yes, sir!' 'RAN!!'  
  
***  
  
Authors notes: ^^°°°°°°°°°°° Well, feedback, please? I never get any feedback, and that's awfully depressing despite the fact that 'we write for ourselves', as someone whose name I can't memorize had said. T.T It really doesn't last that long to post one, right? Thank you. 


End file.
